The Untold

Chapter 8: Calling it back

The pulsing lights and thumping bass faded into the background as I searched the crowd for the mysterious guy again, but it was like he'd completely disappeared.

I squinted through the dim, hoping for one last glimpse, but my focus was broken by Raven's hand waving right in front of my face.

"Amira, who are you even looking for?" she asked, smirking.
"Yeah, what's got you all distracted?" Bianca added, glancing around curiously.

I opened my mouth to explain, but Raven's eyes lit up suddenly as she spotted something across the room.

"Forget that. Look what they're doing over there!" She pointed towards a small, velvet-draped room off to the side of the main floor.

I could just make out a group huddled around a low table, their fingers on a planchette.

"No way," I laughed. "Are they seriously playing with an Ouija board in here?"

Raven's smirk deepened. "Yes way. And we're totally joining them."

She grabbed mine and Bianca's arm, and before we knew it, we were heading into the dark, private room.

The air was thick with smoke and whispers, and the people inside welcomed us in with lazy grins, clearly amused to see a few more girls joining their 'seance.'

From outside the doorframe I spotted Carolina having another drink and signalled for her to come over.

"An Ouija board? You guys must be kidding!" Carolina let out, inspecting the room, "I get this is a Halloween party but isn't this a little too far."

My friends exchanged glances, eyes bright with anticipation.

"We've, gotta do it!" Bianca excitedly suggested, pulling out her phone to film, a sly grin on her face. "You guys calling spirits will definitely become the next big scandal."

I hesitated, a twinge of unease curling in my stomach. The planchette gleamed under the low lights, and something about the scene brought back a memory I'd long tried to bury.

As I looked down at the board, I felt myself slipping back in time, to when I was little, convinced I could speak with things no one else could see...

Carolina must have noticed my expression, leaning in to whisper, "You okay?"

I nodded, swallowing back the memory, but the past felt too close.

"I just—let's just say I know spirits exist," I whispered back, my voice barely above a breath. "I was... curious about them once. And my parents, well, they weren't thrilled. It's a heavy topic for me..."

But before I could say more, Raven, who'd been listening in, let out a loud laugh.

"Wait, what? Amira, you used to try calling spirits as a kid?" Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and her voice only got louder. "That's so cool!"

Instantly, a couple of guys near the doorway perked up, one of them leaning in with a grin. "No way—seriously? That's sick. If you've got some sort of connection, Amira's the name right?, we have to call something tonight."

I felt the heat of everyone's attention on me, all expectant, a few phones already angled in my direction.

"No way guys." I tried to back away.

"Yes way!" Bianca opposed trying to convince me, "c'mon, your followers will go crazy with this typa content!"

She was recording every second, her eyes glinting with excitement. I forced a smile, playing it off as if I wasn't actually uneasy.

I hesitated, my mouth opening to protest, but the words caught in my throat.

Every instinct was screaming at me to back out, to leave this alone. My parents' long ago warnings echoed in the back of my mind:
You don't mess with these things, Amira. It's all in your head, and you need to stop letting it get to you.

I took a breath, trying to steady myself. "Look, I don't think this is a good idea. We don't know what we're doing, and messing with... with whatever this is doesn't always end well."

Raven rolled her eyes, folding her arms. "Oh, come on, Amira, where's your sense of adventure?"

Carolina shot me a knowing look, her eyes soft with a trace of worry. "You don't have to do this, you know," she murmured.

But then Bianca's phone was already rolling, capturing everyone's excitement.

All eyes were on me, waiting, grinning, daring.

And deep down, I knew backing out now would only make me look like I was scared and well... maybe I craved their validation letting in so easily.

I glanced down at the board, the worn letters smudged from countless hands before ours, and felt a chill.

The room seemed to close in around us, the shadows feeling heavier somehow.

I swallowed, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Fine," I said, trying to ignore the way my heart was pounding.
"Let's see if anything answers."